AR HB1139

Public utilities must provide surface owners at least 30 days' written notice via certified mail before exercising rights under easements, including proposed location, access route, start date, and contact information.

Surface owners may select preferred access routes and locations within 30 days that may increase utility costs, but cannot select routes that make easement exercise geographically or geologically impossible.

Once an access route is established, it applies to all future easement exercises unless both parties agree in writing to change it or follow the redesignation procedure.

Violations by public utilities constitute a Class A misdemeanor and entitle surface owners to recover twice the amount of damages caused by the violation.

The notice and access designation requirements do not apply when utilities exercise easement rights through public access without crossing private property.